Should Cannabis Be Legalized? 3 Arguments in Favor

The debate on marijuana legalization has raged on for years now. So far, eight states plus the District of Columbia have legalized the use of recreational pot, with 28 states in total legalizing use of medical marijuana. With Canada also pushing to legalize weed, it's only a matter of time before the plant becomes legal in most of North America. "But why should weed be legal?" You may ask. Well, here are 3 strong arguments in support of legalization:

Weed is safer than tobacco and alcohol

You don't have to be a pothead to know that alcohol and tobacco are more dangerous than weed. In the US alone, over half a million deaths a year can be attributed to the two substances. Both also cause a range of illnesses and problems that lead to increased costs in health-care and law enforcement. Cannabis, on the other hand, is much safer, and not a single death from overdose has been reported since humans began keeping historical records. It's still baffling how marijuana use is still a crime in much of America, despite it being the third most popular drug. Click here for more information.

Medical marijuana can replace toxic pharmaceuticals

Even if you're not for recreational use, you may at least agree that the use of medicinal pot can low the over-dependence on pharmaceuticals which are not only toxic but also addictive. For the record, medical marijuana does not cause a "high" so it's perfectly safe for kids use. One of the biggest medical breakthroughs in recent years has been the discovery that cannabis can be a potent cure for a range of ailments, such as epilepsy, and glaucoma. Many cancer patients are now relying on the herb to cope with the effects of chemotherapy. The legal pharmaceutical drugs that dominate the market at the moment are said to kill more people per year that all the illegal drugs combined. To read more about this, visit this website.

Prohibition funds cartels

For a long time now the trade of cannabis has been quite lucrative to gangs and cartels. But now that growing the herb is legal in a number of states, Mexican cartels have much less power as they're now competing with legal sellers, who are so far edging them out both in price and quality. Legalization can put many cartels out of the cannabis trade--that means they may have to turn to other drugs or crimes. What's important is that pot proceeds should not go to criminals who are not only violent, but also don't pay taxes.